Lighting-fixture.



I. W. WAKEFIELD.

LIGHTING FIXTURE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 31, 1910.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WA51HNGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK W. WAKEFIELD, OF VERMILION, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE F. W. WAKE- FIELD BRASS COMPANY, OF VERMILION, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LIGHTING-FIXTURE.

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK IV. VVAKE- FIELD,L citizen of the United States, and a resident of Vermilion, county of Erie, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lighting-Fixtures, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein ex plained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements, relating as indicated, to lighting fixtures, have more particular regard to the provision of improved means for attaching the fixture to the ceiling, or side-wall, as the case may be. In most prevailing forms of construction particular difiiculty is encountered in threading and connecting up the wires.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a fixture which may be attached without turning, while at the same time an adjustable stem is introduced that can be turned, raised, or lowered to permit of the proper location of the fixture. Means are also provided whereby the fixture may be readily insulated from the ceiling where such insulation is desired.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mecha nism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing :-Figure 1 is a central section of a fixture embodying my present improvements, such fixture being shown as in final position, attached to a ceiling; Fig. 2 is a similar section of a slightly modified form of construction and shows the fixture as only partially attached or assembled; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33, Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on a slightly enlarged scale taken on a plane indicated by the line 4-4, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 shows certain details in perspective.

Referring first of all, to the form of construction illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the fixture is attached to the supporting surface through the medium of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 31, 1910.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 600,270.

crow-foot 1 that is threaded or otherwise firmly secured to such surface and is provided with a threaded opening adapted to receive one end of a stem 2 consisting of a short piece of rod or pipe, a bolt of stock dimension being most conveniently used. The upper end of the bolt which is thus threaded in the foot is enlarged, such enlargement bearing the thread by means of which it is attached in the fashion described. In practice, I form such enlargement out of a separate piece 8, threading it in turn upon the bolt, the object of this being to permit of the ready fitting upon the bolt, between such enlargement and a head or projection 4, of the main body 5. The latter is in the form of a ring supported from a central hub 6, by means of a plurality of arms 7 radiating outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. In such body are provided a number of apertures adapted to have attached thereto the arms 8 whereby the lamps (not shown) are designed to be supported. The arrangement of the apertures is preferably that described in my Patent No. 800,900, whereby various numbers of arms may be symmetrically secured to the body, the unused apertures being closed. Itotatably supported from the hub of such body is a depending bracket 9, such bracket being secured to the hub by means of a hollow bolt 10 threaded into the hub, the hole in the bolt 10 being large enough to allow the bolt 01' stem 2 to be held in the hub as hereinbefore described. In the body of the hollow bolt 10 is fitted a set-screw 11 adapted to engage such bolt 2 and to secure the same and the hub fixedly together in desired adjusted position relatively to each other.

The bracket 9 is adjustable about the central axis of the fixture defined by such bolt 2 and has its lower end, which is bent into a horizontal position similar to its upper end, formed with an open recess or slot 12 to receive a nipple 13. This nipple is formed at its top with a rectangular flange and below such flange with a second flange while its lower end is threaded to receive a nut 14, prefrably of the ornamental form shown. Such nut is utilized to secure in place the bottom shell 15 of the fixture in place, such shell fitting over the threaded portion of the nipple so that upon application of the nut it is clamped in place with its upper edge resting in a suitable recess formed therefor in the edge of the fixture body. Both the nut and nipple are tubular to allow the introduction therethrough of wire connections such as will be required to be used where a drop switch is employed to control the on and off turning of the lamps. It has not been thought necessary to illustrate such wire connections nor those of the lamps themselves. It will be readily understood, however, that the wires which are permanently embedded in the building structure whether ceiling or side-wall to which the fixture is attached will project far enough through the crow-foot which afi'ords the means for such attachment, to permit the securing thereto of the ends of the wires running through the respective arms to the corresponding lamps; and where a switch of the kind just referred to is employed, it will also have to be properly included in the circuit thus provided. It is in making these connections that difficulty is encountered owing to the cramped space ordinarily left in prevailing constructions of fixtures. By my present improved construction, however, it will be seen that after the bolt or stem of the fixture has been attached to the crowfoot, the body of the fixture with the upper shell or canopy l9 proper may still be supported at a considerable distance below the plane of the ceiling or wall to which such crow-foot is secured, leaving ample space for connecting up the various wire ends ust referred to, and their replacement within the body of the fixture. This will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 2, in which the body and upper shell are shown in such initial position. After the wiring has thus been accomplished, the body is raised into the position shown in Fig. l and there secured by tightening the set-screw, first rotating the fixture into the proper angular position about the axis of the stem. Such position, moreover, may obviously be changed at any time by simply loosening such set-screw and further rotating the fix ture body. inasmuch as the shell may be lowered from the ceiling or wall pending such rotation there is no danger of marring the building decorations in making either this initial or a subsequent adjustment of the fixture.

\Vhere a drop switch or other wire connection is to be brought down through the bottom shell and ornament, such wire may be passed through the nipple, shell and ornament in succession and while they are in a separated condition; thereupon the nipple is slipped into its seat in the lower end of the bracket, the shell raised into position and there secured by means of the bottom ornament which is threaded as a nut on the projecting end of the nipple (see Figs. 1 and 2). Access to the interior of the fixture structure may be gained at any time by simply removing such bottom ornament and allowing the shell to drop away from the body; the set-screw is then presented in readily accessible position should it be desired to adjust the fixture on its central stem or to lower it from the surface to which it is attached.

here, as for example, in connection with metal ceilings it is desired to insulate the fixture entirely from its supports, an insulating joint 20 of familiar type may be employed in place of the saddle or crow-foot. The upper end of the bolt or stem is secured in such insulating joint in the same fashion, however, as in the crow-foot, and no other change is involved except the introduction of suitable insulation between the outer edge of the upper shell or canopy and the ceiling, which would otherwise contact and so afford a possible means of short-circniting the current. I have accordingly devised a simple insulating member, consisting simply of a strip of fiber board 16 re-curved into the U-form illustrated in the left of Fig. 2, and again in perspective in Fig. 5. The ends of such member are slotted as at 17 as shown in the last figure just named, and are adapted to slip readily into elongated apertures 18 formed in the canopy flange when positioned as at the left in Fig. 2, but to be locked securely when turned to a position at right angles thereto, as at the right in Fig. 2. These same apertures 18 are equally adapted to receive screws where it is desired to thus secure the canopy to the supporting surface.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that in a single fixture I have provided for a variety of adjustments as well as modes of attachment so as to meet as many as pos sible of the numerous different situations presented in practice and which require ordinarily as many different kinds of fixtures. Thus it will be seen that the present construction is adapted for attachment by either a crow-foot or insulating joint or directly by means of the canopy which, as has just been explained, may be screwed on to the supporting surface.

In all the foregoing modes of attachment the ease of assembly essential to rapid ereotion and adjustment is preserved, so that the wiring, for example, does not require to be done under cramped conditions, and the scheme of such wires may be modified as oocasion demands.

All the foregoing results are accomplished without detracting in the slightest from the ornamental character of the fixture, as will be obvious from a reference to the drawings, although it should be explained that obviously the form both of the upper shell or canopy and bottom shell of the fixture may be modified to suit the artistic ideas of the designer or prospective purchaser.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and provided with a projection, a canopy slidably secured to said rod between said support and said projection, and means for securing said canopy rigidly upon said rod.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a member secured thereto, a body supported by said member and adapted to receive one or more arms, a canopy secured to said body, said body being both slidable toward and from said support and rotatable relatively thereto, and means for securing said body rigidly relatively to said support.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable on said rod between said support and said projection and adapted to receive one or more arms, a canopy secured to said body, and means for securing said body rigidly to said rod.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable on said rod between said support and said projection, a set-screw mounted in fixed relation to said body and adapted to engage said rod, and a canopy secured to said body.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable 011 said rod between said support and said projection, means for securing the body rigidly to said rod, a canopy secured to said body and extending toward said support, and a second canopy removably supported by said body beyond the first canopy.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable on said rod between said support and said projection, means for securing the body rigidly to said rod, a canopy secured to said body and extending toward said support, a bracket secured to said body and extending from said support, and a second canopy removably secured to said bracket.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable on said rod between said support and said projection, means for securing the body rigidly to said rod, a canopy secured to said body and extending toward said support, a bracket secured to said body and extending from said support, said bracket being provided at its outer end with a transverse slot, a nipple removably seated in said slot and having a threaded end projecting beyond the end of said bracket, a second canopy loosely engaging such end of the nipple and extending toward said body, and a nut threaded on such end of the nipple.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and insulated therefrom and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable on said rod between said support and said projection, means for securing said body rigidly to said rod, a canopy secured to said body and extending toward said support, and a plurality of pieces of insulating material removably secured to the edge of said canopy adjacent to said support.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support, a rod secured thereto and insulated therefrom and provided with a projection, a body slidable and rotatable on said rod between said support and said projection, means for securing said body rigidly to said rod, a canopy secured to said body and extending toward said support, a plurality of pieces of insulating material removably secured to the edge of said canopy adjacent to said support, a bracket secured to said body and extending from said support, means for securing said bracket rigidly to said body, a second canopy engaging the outer end of said bracket and extending toward said body, and a nut securing the second canopy to the bracket.

Signed by me this 28th day of December, 1910.

FREDERICK WV. IVAKEFIELD.

Attested by W. EARLE CHILDS, M. E. LAWRENCE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

